Every child has the right to care and safety. A child must be treated with respect for their person and must not be subjected to physical punishment or any other degrading treatment (cf. Danish Parental Responsibility Act §2, subsection 2).
2.600 children completed a stay at a Danish crisis center in 2023.
Of these, many had witnessed or overheard physical, psychological, or sexual violence against their mother within the past 12 months.
Source: Danmarks Statistik, 2023 (Danish)
Experiencing psychological violence is just as harmful to a child as physical violence.
Children who are directly exposed to physical violence—or witness violence in the home—often show emotional, behavioral, social, and cognitive challenges.
Typical signs and reactions in children experiencing violence:
- Psychosomatic symptoms like stomachaches and headaches
- Sleep disturbances
- Overreaction to sudden movements or sounds
- Outward behaviors: restlessness, agitation, aggression
- Inward behaviors: withdrawal, emotional numbness, compliance
- Sadness
- Attachment difficulties
- Trust issues
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety
- Fear of separation and death
Domestic violence has profound consequences for children—whether or not they are present when the violence occurs.
Children sense more than adults realize. They pick up on moods, glances, tone of voice, and body language. Witnessing violence at home is an extreme and threatening burden for any child.
The unpredictability of when and why violence occurs places the child in a constant state of alert.
Often, the child hasn’t spoken to anyone about the violence they experience. There is a risk they may blame themselves for the adults’ problems, or begin to perceive the violence as “normal.”
Adult problems are never a child’s responsibility
Sources: Når livet slår fra sig, 2015 og Vold i familien, 2020 (Danish publications)
See also: Vold mod børn: Tegn og signaler (Danish publication)